Viscous liquid dispenser

ABSTRACT

A viscous liquid dispenser suitable for dispensing the contents of collapsible tubes comprising a reservoir adapted to hold a viscous liquid, a length of elastic tubing connected at the upstream end thereof to said reservoir and having a high modulus of resilience, a wall means spanning at least a portion of the length of said elastic tubing and positioned adjacent thereto, a lever moveable with respect to said elastic tubing wherein both arms of said lever may be moved to wedge a portion of said elastic tubing against said wall means, the upstream portion of said moveable lever pressing said elastic tubing against said wall means before the downstream portion of said moveable lever presses said elastic tubing against said wall means to force said viscous liquid in the downstream direction where it is expelled from the oriface at the downstream end of said length of elastic tubing, and a closure means positioned adjacent said elastic tubing and above said downstream orifice to prevent viscous liquid from leaking from said orifice when said device is not in use and to prevent air from entering said elastic tubing after the expelling stroke of said lever so that additional viscous liquid is drawn by suction into said elastic tubing, said closure means being overridden by the movement of said viscous liquid during said expelling stroke.



1. In a viscous liquid dispensing device the combination comprising, a length of elastic tubing having a high modulus of resilience; a reservoir adapted to contain a viscous liquid and connected to the upstream end of said length of elastic tubing; wall means spanning at least a portion of the length of said elastic tubing and positioned adjacent thereto; wedge means moveable with respect to said elastic tubing and positioned adjacent thereto and on the opposite side of said tubing from said wall means so that said wedge means may be moved to wedge a portion of said elastic tubing against said wall means, the upstream portion of said wedge means pressing said elastic tubing against said wall means before the downstream portion of said wedge means to force said viscous liquid in the downstream direction to be expelled from the orifice at the downstream end of said length of elastic tubing; and closure means positioned adjacent said elastic tubing and above the orifice at the downstream end thereof to prevent said viscous liquid from leaking from said orifice at said downstream end of said elastic tubing when said device is not in use and to prevent air from entering said orifice after the expelling stroke of said wedge means when said elastic tubing is returning to its natural shape and drawing additional viscous liquid, said closure means being overridden by the movement of said viscous liquid during the expelling stroke of said wedge means to permit the discharge of viscous liquid from said orifice.
 2. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 1 wherein said wedge means is actuated by the movement of the object on which said viscous liquid is dispensed.
 3. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 2 in combination with a second lever having a fixed fulcrum, wherein one arm of said second lever may be actuated by the object on which the viscous liquid is dispensed and wherein the other arm of said second lever abuts said wedge means so that said object may effect the dispensing of viscous liquid.
 4. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 3 wherein said reservoir is a collapsible metal tube.
 5. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 4 wherein said object is a toothbrush.
 6. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 3 wherein a protruding nub is affixed to the upstream end of said wedge means to prevent bacKward flow of viscous liquid when said wedge means is wedged against said elastic tubing.
 7. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 6 wherein said tube is held between spring loaded guide strips to assist said tube to discharge uniformly.
 8. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 6 wherein said reservoir is a metal toothpaste tube held between resilient guide strips whose inherent spring tension assists said tube to discharge uniformly.
 9. The viscous liquid dispensing device of claim 6 wherein said closure means is a spring having a cylindrical stub on the end thereof to wedge said elastic tubing against a secong wall means adjacent the orifice at the downstream end of said elastic tubing.
 10. In a viscous liquid dispensing device having a viscous liquid reservoir, a length of elastic tubing attached to said reservoir and a closure means positioned adjacent the downstream end of said length of elastic tubing, the improvement comprising positioning a wedge means adjacent said length of elastic tubing on one side thereof and positioning a wall means on the other side thereof so that said wedge means may be moved to press said tubing against said wall means, one side of said wedge means pushing simultaneously into a discrete length of said tubing with the upstream end of said side of said wedge means pressing slightly ahead of the downstream end thereof so that a measured amount of viscous liquid is expelled through said closure means. 